Each time a prominent awards ceremony draws close, one notices a clamor for introducing of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.
My colleague made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these six categories successfully include a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated completely that year
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Just some puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
